This privacy statement applies to Xbox products and services ("Services"), which include Xbox console versions, the Xbox Live service, Games for Windows Live, Windows Phone Games, Xbox Music, Xbox Store, and other products and services that link to this privacy statement. This privacy statement does not apply to other Microsoft products and services that do not link to the Xbox Privacy Statement.

Please read the summaries below and click "Learn More" for more details. Some products, services or features mentioned in this statement may not be available in all markets. You may find still more information about Microsoft’s commitment to protecting your privacy at http://www.microsoft.com/privacy.

Cookies

Most Microsoft Sites use "cookies," small text files that can be read by a web server in the domain that put the cookie on your hard drive. We may use cookies to store your preferences and settings; help with sign-in; provide targeted ads; and analyze site operations. Click here to learn more .

Microsoft accountMicrosoft account

Microsoft account is a service that lets you sign in to Microsoft products, web sites and services, as well as those of select Microsoft partners. When you create a Microsoft account, we ask you to provide certain information. When you sign in to a site or service using your Microsoft account, we collect certain information in order to verify your identity on behalf of the site or service, to protect you from malicious account usage and to protect the efficiency and security of the Microsoft account service. We also send some of this information to sites and services that you sign in to with your Microsoft account.

We use demographic information – gender, country, age and postal code but not your name or contact information – from your Microsoft account to provide personalized ads to you. You may opt out of receiving targeted ads from Microsoft Advertising by visiting our opt-out page.

To view additional details about Microsoft account, including how to create and use a Microsoft account, how to edit account information, and how we collect and use information relating to a Microsoft account, please click on Learn More.

Also, some of the applications on Xbox Live are delivered by a partner company, which may require that you create an account and sign-in credentials to use that application. You should read the application’s privacy statement to understand how your data will be managed. None of this separate account credential information will be shared with Microsoft.

When you create an account (on Xbox Live), we auto-generate a nickname for the account called a gamertag, which is used to identify you when you use the Service. Because the gamertag may be publicly displayed, you should not use personal information in your gamertag.

Microsoft account (formerly known as Windows Live ID and Microsoft Passport) is a service that allows you to sign in to Microsoft products, web sites and services, as well as those of select Microsoft partners.

Creating a Microsoft account

You can create a Microsoft account here by providing an email address, a password and other security information, such as an alternate email address and a phone number. We will use your security information for security purposes only - for instance, to verify your identity or to reset your password if you cannot access your Microsoft account. Some services may require added security, and in those cases, you may be asked to provide additional information. The email address and password that you use to sign up for your Microsoft account are your "credentials" that you will use to authenticate with our network. We assign a unique ID number to your credentials to identify your credentials and associated information.

You can use an email address provided by Microsoft (such as those ending in outlook.com, live.com, hotmail.com or msn.com) or an email address provided by a third party (such as those ending in gmail.com or yahoo.com) when signing up for your Microsoft account. You must use an email address that you own on an email service that you have access to.

When you create a Microsoft account, we will also ask you to provide the following demographic information: gender, country, birthdate and postal code. We may use birthdate to verify that children obtain appropriate consent from a parent or guardian to use a Microsoft account, as required by local law. We use this demographic information for market research. This demographic information also is used by our online advertising systems to provide you with personalized advertisements about products and services you might find useful, but our advertising systems do not receive or use any information that can personally and directly identify you (such as your name, email address or phone number). If you prefer not to receive personalized ads, you may register your preference with your Microsoft account by visiting our opt-out page so that whenever you sign in to web sites or services with your Microsoft account, our advertising systems will not serve you personalized ads. For more information about how Microsoft uses information for advertising, please see the Microsoft Advertising Privacy Statement.

Upon creating a Microsoft account using an email address provided by a third party, we will send you an email asking you to verify that you are the owner of the email address associated with your Microsoft account. This is designed to verify the validity of the email address and help prevent email addresses from being used without the permission of their owners.

We will use the email address you used to create your Microsoft account to send you communications relating to your use of Microsoft products and services and to the security of your account. We may also send you promotional emails about Microsoft products and services as permitted by local law. For information about managing your receipt of promotional communications, please visit Communications.

Signing into software, sites or services with your Microsoft account

When you sign in to a site or service using your Microsoft account, we collect certain information in order to verify your identity on behalf of the site or service, to protect you from malicious account usage and to protect the efficiency and security of the Microsoft account service. For instance, when you sign in, the Microsoft account service receives your credentials and logs your sign-in name and other information, such as the unique number assigned to your credentials, your IP address, your operating system and web browser version and a time and date. If you use a Microsoft account to sign in to a device or software that is installed on a device, a random unique ID is assigned to the device; this random unique ID will be sent as part of your credentials to the Microsoft account service when you sign in to a site or service with your Microsoft account and will be used to help protect your account. The Microsoft account service sends the following limited verification information to the site or service that you have signed in to: the unique ID number assigned to your credentials that permits the site or service to determine whether you are the same person from one sign-in session to the next; the version number assigned to your account (a new number is assigned each time you change your sign-in information); whether your email address has been confirmed; and whether your account has been deactivated.

When you sign in to Windows with a Microsoft account, Windows will send standard computer information to Microsoft as well as your device’s manufacturer, model name and version. We may use this to personalize certain communications to you, such as emails intended to help you get started with your device. If you sign in to your Windows 8.1 device with your Microsoft account, Windows uses your Microsoft account information to sign you in to Microsoft applications, web sites and services. To learn more about signing in to Windows with a Microsoft account, please see the Windows 8.1 Privacy Statement.

Some third-party sites and services that permit you to sign in with your Microsoft account require your email address in order to provide you with their services. In those cases, when you sign in, Microsoft will provide your email address but not your password to the site or service. If you created your Microsoft account credentials with the site or service, it may have limited access to information associated with your credentials and profile as noted during account creation.

If you received your account from a third party, like a school, a business, an internet service provider or the administrator of a managed domain, that third party may have rights with respect to your account, including the ability to reset your password, view your account usage or profile information, read or store content in your account, and suspend or cancel your account. In these cases, you are subject to the Microsoft Services Agreement and to any additional terms of use from that third party. If you are the administrator of a managed domain and have provided your users with Microsoft accounts, you are responsible for all activity that takes place within those accounts.

Please note that sites and services that permit you to sign in with your Microsoft account can use or share your email address or other personal information that you provide to them as described in their privacy statements. They can share the unique ID number the Microsoft account service provides them only in order to fulfill a service or transaction that you may have requested. All sites or services that use the Microsoft account are required to have a posted privacy statement, but we do not control or monitor the privacy practices of those sites, and their privacy practices will vary. You should carefully review the privacy statement for each site you sign in to in order to determine how each site or service will use the information it collects.

Connecting your Microsoft account to your social network accounts

You may connect your Microsoft account to your account on a social network such as Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn in order to access information from that social network in your Microsoft account. For example, connecting your Microsoft account to your social network account lets you see status updates or messages from people you have friended or are following on the social network in your Outlook.com inbox; include them in your Microsoft account address book; and view their birthdays in your Microsoft account calendar. If you choose to connect your Microsoft account to your account on a social network, we will cache certain information about your social network account on our servers so that we can display updated information from your social network account.

You can see a list of the social networks that offer accounts to which you can connect your Microsoft account, as well as the social network accounts that you’ve actually connected to your Microsoft account, by signing in and going to profile.live.com/services. You can disconnect a social network account from your Microsoft account at any time at profile.live.com/services. If you disconnect a social network account, we will no longer cache information from that account.

Microsoft is not responsible for content originating from non-Microsoft services or for information you share with or send to those services. If you use a third-party service, its use of your information is subject to its privacy practices. You should carefully review the privacy statement for each social network account you connect to your Microsoft account to determine how it will use the information it collects.

Accessing your personal information and closing your account

You can access the personal information in your Microsoft account by going to the Microsoft account summary page. You can change your username if your Microsoft account does not belong to a managed domain. And you can change your password, alternate email address and phone number. You may also close your Microsoft account by going to account and then "Close your account." If your Microsoft account is within a managed domain, there may be a special process for closing your Microsoft account. Please note that if you are an Outlook.com user or have a billing account with Microsoft, if you go to account, you may be redirected to your account page for those services.

If you use an email address provided by Microsoft (such as those ending in outlook.com, live.com, hotmail.com or msn.com) when signing up for your Microsoft account, that email address will be unique to you for as long as your Microsoft account is active. If you or Microsoft close your Microsoft account as provided in the Microsoft Services Agreement, that email address or username (but not the Microsoft account itself) may be recycled into our system and assigned to another user. More information about Microsoft account is available at the Microsoft account web site

Non-Microsoft Account

Some of the applications found on Xbox Live are delivered by a partner company, which may require that you create an account and sign-in credentials to use that application. You should read the application’s privacy statement to understand how your data will be managed. None of this separate account credential information will be shared with Microsoft. If you choose to link your Microsoft account with your account with a partner company, Microsoft may share limited account information with that company. Such account information may include name, address, email and date of birth but will not include any credit card or other payment information. For games that enable in-game communications, the game publisher may also have access to the content of in-game communications when you are signed into your account with the publisher.

Gamertags

When you create an account (on Xbox Live), we auto-generate a nickname for the account called a gamertag, which is used to identify you when you use the Service. You can change your gamertag by accessing your profile on Xbox.com or a device connected to the Service. Because the gamertag may be publicly displayed, you should not use personal information in your gamertag. Gamertags and associated data like game stats and presence can be seen on properties associated with the Service, such as game leader boards, including those of partner companies.

Information We CollectCollecting Your Information

Microsoft collects many kinds of information in order to operate effectively and provide you the best products, services and experiences we can.

We collect information when you register, sign in and use our sites and services. We also get information from other companies.

We collect this information in a variety of ways, including from web forms, use of Xbox features, technologies like cookies, web logging and software on your computer or other device.

Microsoft collects many kinds of information in order to operate effectively and provide you the best products, services and experiences we can. Some of this information you provide directly to us. Some of it we get by observing how you interact with our products and services. Some of it is available from other sources, and we may combine it with the data we collect directly. Regardless of the source, we believe it's important to treat your information with care and to help you maintain your privacy.

What we collect:

Registration - When you sign up to use our sites or services you may be required to provide information about yourself, such as your name, birthdate and postal code.

Signing in - To access some Microsoft services, you will need to sign in with an e-mail address and password, which we refer to as your Microsoft account. If you access our services via a mobile phone, you may also use your telephone number and a PIN as an alternative credential to your username and password. By signing in on one Microsoft site or service, you may be automatically signed into other Microsoft sites and services that use the Microsoft account. Click here for more Microsoft account privacy information.

Using our sites, services and applications - We collect information that tells us how you interact with our services, including the browser you're using, your IP address, location, cookies or other unique IDs, the pages you visit and features you use.

Service statistics - We may collect information about your use of Xbox Services. This information can include such activities as: number of times you sign into and sign-off from the Services; games you have played on the Services; content you obtain on the Services; and game-score statistics. If you use an Xbox console that includes a storage device (hard drive or memory unit), and if you play offline or have never signed into the Services on the console, usage data will be stored on the storage device and sent to Microsoft the next time you sign into the Services. We also may collect and automatically upload certain information about the Services’ performance and your device. Such data may include Xbox console hardware and operating performance data, manufacturing codes from game discs, network performance data, and Service quality data. If you use the Xbox console with Kinect, we may also collect data about how you use the Kinect to access the Services. Any software or hardware errors - may be uploaded and reported to Microsoft, either at the time the error occurs or the next time you are online. All such data may be stored with the Xbox console's unique identifier and may be associated with personally identifiable information. When your Xbox is connected to the Internet, Microsoft is able to identify which console and which version of the Xbox operating system you are currently using. In addition, when you access the Services via a personal computer, Microsoft will collect information about the Xbox Live software version you are using. This information alerts Microsoft to provide you with appropriate auto-updates and to protect the security of the Services. Additionally, game publishers may receive usage information when you interact with their titles.

Anti-cheating - In order to create a fair gaming experience for all users by detecting cheating, Microsoft will periodically collect the following information about your device when you sign on to Xbox Live: your IP address, operating system and Xbox Live software version, and other non-personally identifiable system information. In addition Microsoft may also collect information about other software running on your device, or hardware connected to it that based on Microsoft’s analysis is suspected to be used for cheating. Microsoft will use this information to protect the security of the Services and may take enforcement action against an account (on Xbox Live) and/or Xbox Live connected device; however, we will not use this information in any way that disables any other software running on a device.

Search and browser - You may be able to search for Xbox applications, content or services using voice or text commands on the Xbox console or on a mobile phone using a search module powered by Bing. To learn how Bing protects your privacy, read the Bing Privacy Statement. You may choose to use the Internet Explorer application on Xbox. To learn how Internet Explorer protects your privacy, read the Internet Explorer Privacy Statement. When you search on Xbox, Microsoft will collect and store your search terms in order to provide you search results and improve Microsoft products. We store search terms separately from any account information that directly identifies you. If you use your voice to enter search terms on Xbox, we will convert your voice to text in order to provide you search results. Whether we can also use your voice data for product improvement is controlled separately. To learn more, see the Kinect section.

Live television - If you have an adult account and choose to watch live television via the Xbox TV App on your Xbox One, we may ask your permission to collect information about television programming you watch in order to provide you with content recommendations, to provide other Xbox users anonymous aggregate data about what is being watched via Xbox One, and to improve the Xbox One live television feature. You can control whether we collect this programming information. We do not collect this information for child and teen accounts.

Xbox Music and Video - We may also collect information about music and videos you purchase or stream from Microsoft through Xbox; this information is used to provide you recommendations, to provide Xbox users anonymous aggregate data about what others are listening to or watching on Xbox, and to improve the Xbox Music and Xbox Video services. If you enable Cortana on your Windows Phone, Microsoft will collect and use information related to the music you play via Xbox Music to provide personalized experiences, relevant suggestions, and to improve Cortana and other Microsoft products and Services.

Third-party video services-You can choose whether to allow us to know information about videos you purchase or view through third-party apps on Xbox.

Data from other sources-We may get additional information about you, such as demographic data we purchase from other companies. In addition, since Xbox gives you access to applications and game titles that may be provided by a partner company, the partner may send us information on how you use its service, subject to that partner’s privacy statement. It may also deliver information to enable us to provide you recommendations.

How we collect information:

We use a number of methods and technologies to gather information about how you use our sites and services, such as:

Web forms, including s when you type information into a registration form or type a search query into a search box.

Technologies like cookies and web beacons (Please visit this web page to learn more about these technologies), such as when you visit Xbox.com or click on ads we place on other sites.

Web logging, which enables us to collect the standard information your browser sends to every web site you visit - such as your IP address, browser type and language, and the site you came from - as well as the pages you visit and the links you click while using our sites and services.

Software installed on your device, which may send back information needed to operate, update or improve that software.

How We Use Your Personal InformationUsing Your Information

Microsoft uses the information we collect to operate, improve and personalize the products and services we offer.

We also may use the information to communicate with you, for example, informing you about your account and security updates.

And we may use the information to help make the ads you see on our ad-supported services more relevant.

Microsoft uses the information we collect to operate and improve our products and services. These uses may include personalizing the Services, providing recommendations, providing your transaction history to you, responding to your requests for customer support and improving the quality of the gaming experience and of Microsoft products, including Kinect. Information collected through one Microsoft service may be combined with information collected through other Microsoft services to give you a more consistent and personalized experience in your interactions with us. We may also supplement this with information from other companies. For example, we may use services from other companies to help us derive a general geographic area based on your IP address in order to customize certain services to your geographic area.

We also may use the information to communicate with you; for example, informing you when a subscription is ending, letting you know when security updates are available or letting you know when you need to take action to keep your account active.

Microsoft provides many of our sites and services free of charge because they are supported by advertising. In order to make these services widely available, the information we collect may be used to help improve the advertisements you see by making them more relevant to you.

If you participate in leaderboards, live-hosted gameplay, achievements, tournaments, and gamer-profile sharing, Microsoft and such partners as game publishers and service providers may collect, disclose and share your game scores; game play sessions; your presence on the Services; the time you spend on or within particular portions of the Services; portions of the Services that are displayed on your monitor or screen and the duration of that display; rankings, statistics, gamer profiles, avatars, and content that you may submit; and other usage information. These may be provided with or without attribution to you, your gamertag or avatar. In addition, for certain features to work in the context of specific games that you choose to use, publishers of those games may have access to the online contact information (such as a screen name) that allows others to contact you (or your associated accounts) on Xbox Live as permitted by your Privacy and Online settings.

Reasons We Share Your Personal InformationSharing Your Information

We will share your personal information with your consent. We may also share or disclose information with Microsoft affiliates and vendors; when required by law or to respond to legal process; to protect our customers; to protect lives; to maintain the security of our services; and to protect the rights or property of Microsoft.

We will share your personal information with your consent. For example, we share your content with third parties when you tell us to do so, such as when you send an email to a friend, share photos and documents on OneDrive or link accounts with another service.

We may share or disclose personal information with other Microsoft controlled subsidiaries and affiliates, and with vendors or agents working on our behalf. For example, companies we've hired to provide customer service support or assist in protecting and securing our systems and services may need access to personal information in order to provide those functions. In such cases, these companies must abide by our data privacy requirements and are not allowed to use the information for any other purpose. We may also disclose personal information as part of a corporate transaction such as a merger or sale of assets.

Finally, we may access, disclose and preserve your personal information, including your private content (such as the content of your emails, other private communications or files in private folders), when we have a good faith belief that doing so is necessary to:

comply with applicable law or respond to valid legal process from competent authorities, including from law enforcement or other government agencies;

protect our customers, for example to prevent spam or attempts to defraud users of the services, or to help prevent the loss of life or serious injury of anyone;

operate and maintain the security of our services, including to prevent or stop an attack on our computer systems or networks; or

protect the rights or property of Microsoft, including enforcing the terms governing the use of the services – however, if we receive information indicating that someone is using our services to traffic in stolen intellectual or physical property of Microsoft, we will not inspect a customer’s private content ourselves, but we may refer the matter to law enforcement.

Please note that some of our sites and services include links to sites or services of third parties that have privacy practices different from those of Microsoft. If you submit personal information to any of those sites or services, your information is governed by the privacy statements of those third parties.

Accessing Your Personal InformationAccessing Your Information

You can view or edit your personal information, including billing and account information, privacy settings, online safety and data sharing preferences by accessing My Account or through Settings on the Xbox console. You can cancel your account at any time by contacting Customer Support. Go here to find contact information for Customer Support.

You can view or edit your personal information, including billing and account information, privacy settings, online safety and data sharing preferences by accessing My Account or through Settings on the Xbox console. You can cancel your account at any time by contacting Customer Support. Go here to find contact information for Customer Support.

You can also contact Microsoft by using the web form. We will respond to requests to access or delete your personal information within 30 days.

KinectKinect

Kinect creates a virtual gaming environment where your body motions and voice can be used to control gameplay and to navigate through the Service. Kinect uses an infrared sensor, camera, and microphone to make control possible. You can turn Kinect off at any time.

The camera can be used to sign you in. To do so, it takes an image of your face and then measures distances between key points on your face to create a numeric value that represents only you. No one could look at the numbers and know they represent you. This authentication information stays on the console and is not shared with anyone.

You control what happens to photographs taken during gameplay and whether voice commands are captured for analysis.

When Kinect is used with certain games and apps, your skeletal movements can be used to estimate exercise stats. You can decide how your stats are managed and whether they are shared.

Some game titles may take advantage of a new Xbox capability called expressions. This feature allows you to use your defined facial expressions to control or influence a game. This data does not identify you, stays on the console and is destroyed once your session ends.

The Kinect sensor is a combination of camera, microphone, and infrared sensor. It enables you to be the controller, using voice, gestures or body movements.

Kinect’s camera and infrared sensor can be used to track your gestures or body movements as you control games or apps, or to navigate through Xbox. The camera can be used to sign you into the Services on the console using facial recognition technology if you choose. To do this it takes an image of your face and then measures distances between key points on your face to create a numeric value that represents only you. This value is stored as a very long set of numbers. No one could look at the numbers and know they represent you. This information stays on the console and is not shared with anyone. If you choose to sign in using Kinect, it looks at your face and if it recognizes you, you will be signed in to your profile. It also allows you to join a game in progress and be signed in automatically. You can choose to delete this information on your console. And you can always choose to sign in using the controller instead of Kinect.

Infrared helps services function in low-light settings and can be used for gameplay as needed.

For gameplay, Kinect will map distances between your body’s joints to create a stick figure – a “skeleton” – that helps Kinect enable gameplay on your console or between you and another online player. The numeric values for the stick figures are temporarily stored in memory on your console during the gameplay session, then are destroyed when you end the session. If you are playing online, Microsoft may collect those numeric values to enable and improve gameplay and improve the gaming experience. The numeric values sent to Microsoft are destroyed after analysis is complete. The stick figure representation cannot be used to identify you.

Kinect is also tracking hand gestures. When the sensor detects specific hand gestures intended to do simple system interactions (such as menu navigation, menu selection, pan/zoom, scroll), these motions are translated to specific “input instructions” as if they were happening from any other input device (such as a controller). These “input instructions” cannot be used to identify you.

Some game titles may take advantage of a new Xbox capability called expressions. This feature allows you to use your facial expressions to control or influence a game. This data does not identify you, stays on the console and is destroyed once your session ends.

Some Kinect games include a feature to photograph you while you are engaging in game play. Games must let you know if they are taking photos; they must tell you where the images are being stored and how to access them. You can view your photographs and decide whether to keep, transfer them off the console, or discard them. These photographs do not leave the console unless you choose to share them.

Kinect’s microphones help enable chat and audio. Chat includes online voice talk between players during gameplay or talking to others using services such as Skype. We monitor a portion of communications in live-hosted multiplayer gameplay sessions offered through the Services to the extent permitted by law. It is not feasible for us to monitor the entire Service, and we make no attempt to do so. You understand that others can record and use these communications. Communications in live-hosted gameplay sessions may also be broadcast to others. Please note that Xbox does not listen in on Skype calls.

Audio includes commands for voice control of the console (for example, “Xbox Play”), using the Xbox voice search service, or altering the dynamic of gameplay (for example, menu navigation or interacting with the game environment). ). If you use your voice to enter search terms on Xbox, we will collect your voice snippet and convert your voice to text in order to provide you search results.

Voice Data for Product Improvement – You control whether Microsoft can use your Kinect voice data for product improvement. With user consent, samples of voice commands or voice search requests occurring while using Kinect may be collected and periodically sent to Microsoft for product improvement. You can view the settings related to voice data use, both voice commands and voice search data, via the Settings. If you change your choice around the use of this data for product improvement from Allow to Block, this will stop collection of voice samples and delete any voice samples stored on the console awaiting upload. It will not delete what has already been sent to Microsoft. We store voice data used for product improvement separately from any account information that directly identifies you.

Managing your Kinect experience

If you choose to use Kinect as an authenticated user, the sign-in data does not leave the console. You can delete all the Kinect sign-in data you have stored on the console by going to Settings, disabling Kinect sign-in, and selecting "Remove my Kinect sign-in data" or by removing your profile from that console. If you choose to use Kinect as an unauthenticated guest, Xbox creates a temporary unique identifier for you that lets you participate in a gaming session. When the session is finished, Xbox deletes the data about you.

Youcan disable Kinect from the Kinect section in Settings. To enable Kinect again, you will need to go back to Settings.

You can disconnect Kinect by simply unplugging it from the back of the Xbox console.

If the console is in instant-on mode, then when the console is turned off, anyone will be able to wake the console by saying “Xbox On.” You can manage whether the console listens for this phrase from Settings.

Exercise Information – If you use Xbox Fitness on Xbox One, or certain games and apps on Xbox 360, Xbox can use the Kinect sensor to estimate your exercise info, including estimates such as your heart rate during a certain activity or the number of calories burned during a workout. To improve the accuracy of your exercise info, you can enter attributes such as your height, weight, age, and gender. To share your accomplishments and participate in Xbox Live Fitness challenges, you can share your exercise info on Xbox Live. You can also choose to keep your exercise info private. New accounts created on the Xbox One have a have privacy defaults on exercise info set to block, which means it’s stored online and kept private. On Xbox 360, you can store your exercise info online or offline, on that Xbox 360. Children’s exercise info settings are controlled by adults in their Xbox families. To delete exercise info, do so through the apps or games you used to create it.

Xbox Music, Video, and TVMusic, Video, and TV

To enable a sharing experience on Xbox Music and Xbox Video and help you discover content that may interest you, Microsoft will collect information about what content you play, the length of play, and the rating you give in Xbox Music and Xbox Video. This information is sent to Microsoft directly from the device using the Xbox Music or Xbox Video service. If you are watching Live TV through the Xbox TV app, you can choose whether your personal live TV viewing history is sent to Microsoft. We may also collect TV viewing history from your console in a way that doesn’t identify you or others.

To enable the sharing experience on Xbox Music and Xbox Video and help you discover content that may interest you, Microsoft will collect information about what content you play, the length of play, and the rating you give in Xbox Music and Xbox Video. This information is sent to Microsoft directly from the device using the Xbox Music and Xbox Video service. If you enable Cortana on your Windows Phone, Microsoft will collect and use information related to the music you play via Xbox Music to provide personalized experiences, relevant suggestions, and to improve Cortana and other Microsoft products and Services.

There is a privacy setting for your music history that lets you control whether other Xbox Live users can see what music you have listened to via Xbox. There is a privacy setting for your live TV and video history which allows you to control whether other Xbox Live users can see what live TV and on-demand videos you watched via Xbox.

To enrich your experience when playing content, the Services may display related information about the content you play and the content in your music library, such as the album title, cover art, song or video title, and other information, where available. This information may be automatically downloaded and stored with the content in your library or accessed through the internet. When you play or browse content, the Services display the related information. To download this information the Services send an information request to Microsoft containing standard device information, such as your device IP address, device software version, your regional and language settings, and an identifier for the content. The Services will store the resulting information in your content library for future use.

If you use the Services to access content that has been protected with Microsoft Digital Rights Management (DRM), it may automatically request media usage rights from an online rights server and download and install DRM updates in order to let you play the content. See the DRM information in the Microsoft Silverlight Privacy Statement for more information.

Whether your live TV viewing history is available to Microsoft depends on what live TV viewing app you use. If you use the Xbox TV App, there is a customer control allowing adults to choose whether we may collect information about live TV they watch through Xbox in order to provide them with recommendations and to improve the service. We may also collect TV viewing history from your console in a way that doesn’t identify you or others. We do not allow children or teens to choose to send us this information.

If you use a TV viewing application from another company, your privacy settings with that company (if any) determine whether that publisher may send your viewing history to Microsoft.

GameDVR and Upload StudioGameDVR

GameDVR is an Xbox One feature that lets you record the game you’re playing, including when you’re playing with other people in your house or multiplayer on Xbox Live.

When playing multiplayer on Xbox Live, any player in that session can use GameDVR to record their view of the gameplay taking place in that session. The recording may capture your in-game character and gamertag in the game clips created by other players in the gameplay session. No audio chat is recorded in these game clips.

GameDVR is an Xbox One feature that lets you record the game you’re playing, including when you’re playing with other people in your house or multiplayer on Xbox Live. GameDVR can also capture brief recordings automatically created by titles that share the moment when some cool thing was accomplished, such as a perfect dance routine.

When playing multiplayer on Xbox Live any player in that session can use GameDVR to record their view of the gameplay taking place in that session. The recording may capture your in-game character and gamertag in the game clips created by other players in the gameplay session. No audio chat is recorded in these game clips.

Users can go to Settings to control whether the Game DVR service is set to Allow or Block for game clip creation and upload. Users can go to Settings to control whether their game clips are shared with Friends, Everyone, or set to Block. Block is the default for children, and Friends is the default for Teens. Adults in the family can control this for children and teens. Anyone can delete their own game clips.

Upload Studio is an application that allows a person to edit their game clips, providing options to add video and voice-over to the clip. If adults in the family want to prevent children or teens from adding voice and video to their game clips, the option to share content made using Kinect can be set to Block, within Settings.

Microsoft may review game clips for violations of the Xbox Live Code of Conduct. This review may take place even when the game clip sharing is set to Block. There may be a delay before your game clip is visible.

Xbox Location and SmartGlassLocation and SmartGlass

Xbox console and web sites use your IP address to provide the Service. If you allow an Xbox application on Windows Phone to access your location, the approximate location of your phone may be sent periodically to Microsoft in order to award achievements, provide in-game rewards or customize gameplay. For example, games may use your location to award an achievement based on the distance traveled between game sessions. Xbox applications will only collect and store the approximate location of your phone as necessary for these purposes.

Xbox SmartGlass is an application that lets you use a phone or tablet to enhance games and entertainment experiences on the Xbox console. If you choose to download and use Xbox SmartGlass, it will collect only device and usage data (for example, device type and the game or application you are controlling) that cannot be used to identify you.

Xbox consoles and web sites use your IP address to provide the Services. If you allow an Xbox application on Windows Phone to access your location, the approximate location of your phone may be sent periodically to Microsoft in order to award achievements, provide in-game rewards or customize gameplay. For example, games may use your location to award an achievement based on the distance traveled between game sessions. Xbox applications on Windows Phone will only collect and store the approximate location of your phone as necessary for these purposes. To learn how Windows Phone protects your privacy, read the Windows Phone Privacy Statement. To disable a Windows Phone Xbox application’s access to your phone’s location, go to the Help/Options menu within the application.

Xbox SmartGlass is an application that lets you use a phone or tablet to enhance games and entertainment experiences on the Xbox console. If you choose to download and use Xbox SmartGlass, it will collect only device and usage data (for example, device type and the game or application you are controlling) that cannot be used to identify you. If you have installed SmartGlass and synced your SmartGlass application to the local Xbox console, your mobile device will display content from the service that is active on the Xbox.

Xbox SocialSocial

If you are an Xbox Live subscriber, your gamertag and statistics such as high scores will be visible to other subscribers through the Xbox Live service, and may be visible to the general public, on properties associated with the service (for example, within a game, on the web and/or on the Windows Phone).

With Xbox Live you can send messages, play games with people, and share your status and activities. You can choose to share different types of information with everybody or friends, or choose to keep some information private (block). You can view and change your current sharing status within Settings. Adults in the family manage the default settings for child and teen accounts.

Some information is shared automatically with other Xbox Live users, including gamertag and some game statistics on leaderboards. This also includes Achievements, depending on your Game DVR privacy settings, title created Game DVR clips. Achievements are awarded for doing something cool in games or other parts of Xbox Live. title created Game DVR clips are brief recordings automatically created by titles that share the moment when some cool thing was accomplished, such as a perfect dance routine. Title created Game DVR clips will be shared in Xbox Live based on your Game DVR privacy control. For more information see GameDVR.

If you use an Xbox console, your personal computer, or SmartGlass, your gamertag will be automatically linked with your authentication network credentials, to personalize your experience. Your gamertag and credentials will also be linked so that when you sign into Xbox.com or other related gaming sites your experience will be personalized and you will have access to additional features. The linkage between your gamertag and Microsoft account may also be shared with third-party game sites in order for those sites to provide you with a personalized experience when you sign in.

If you are an Xbox Live subscriber, your gamertag and statistics, such as high scores will be visible to other subscribers through the Xbox Live service. They may also be visible to the general public on properties associated with the service (for example, within a game, on the web and/or on the Windows Phone). Other data, such as your gamer picture, motto, country, additional statistics, the games you play, and your online presence, may be available to other subscribers; however you can opt out of sharing this additional data or limit sharing within Settings.

Children and Parental ConsentChildren

If you have children who use the Service, you can set up child accounts during account creation. Children 17 and younger cannot create an account for the Service without parental consent. The owner of the associated parent account must consent to the collection of information about the child. As a parent you can choose privacy settings based on your comfort level for each child account.

If you have children who use the Services, you can set up child accounts for them. Children 17 and younger cannot create an account for the Services without parental consent. The owner of the associated parent account must consent to the collection of information about the child. This may involve the collection and verification of a credit card number in order to help determine that the owner of that parent account is an adult.

When a Microsoft site or service collects age information, it will either block users who say they are under 13 or will ask them to provide consent from a parent or guardian before they can use it. We will not knowingly ask children under 13 to provide more information than is necessary to provide the Service.

When a parent grants consent, the child's account is treated much like any other account. The child may have access to communication services like e-mail, audio and video chat and may be able to communicate with other users of all ages.

Adults in the family can change or revoke the consent choices previously made on Xbox.com. Parents can look in User Accounts for more information on how to review or edit their children's personal information. Parents can contact support here to request the deletion of their children's personal information.

Most of the online advertisements on Microsoft sites and services are displayed by Microsoft Advertising. When we display online advertisements to you, we will place one or more cookies in order to recognize your computer when we display an ad to you. Over time, we may gather information from the sites where we serve ads and use the information to help provide more relevant ads.

You may opt out of receiving targeted ads from Microsoft Advertising by visiting our opt-out page.

Many of our sites and services are supported by advertising.

Most of the online advertisements on Microsoft sites and services are displayed by Microsoft Advertising. When we display online advertisements to you, we will place one or more cookies on your computer in order to recognize your computer each time we display an ad to you. Because we serve advertisements on our own websites as well as those of our advertising and publisher partners, we are able to compile information over time about the types of pages, content and ads you, or others who are using your computer, visited or viewed. This information helps us select the ads we show you. For example, it helps us try to ensure that you do not see the same advertisements repeatedly. It also helps us select and display targeted advertisements that we believe may be of interest to you.

You should also be aware that some browsers have incorporated “Do Not Track” (DNT) features that, when turned on, send a signal in the browser header to websites and online services indicating that you do not wish to be tracked. It is up to the website or online service you visit (and any third parties providing advertising, content, or other functionality on the website or online service) to decide how it will interpret and treat the signal. However, there is not yet a common understanding of how to interpret the DNT signal. As a result, Microsoft does not currently respond to the browser DNT signals on its own websites or online services, or on third-party websites or online services where Microsoft provides advertisements, content or is otherwise able to collect information. We continue to work with the online industry to define a common understanding of how to treat DNT signals. In the meantime, users may continue to opt-out of targeted ads from Microsoft as set forth above.

Communication PreferencesCommunications

You can stop delivery of future promotional e-mail from Xbox by following the specific instructions in the e-mail you receive. If you have an account (on Xbox Live), you can set your contact preferences and choose whether to share your contact information with Xbox partners from Xbox.com or through the console.

If you receive promotional e-mails from us and would like to stop getting them in the future, you can do so by following the directions in that message.

If you have an account (on Xbox Live), you can set your contact preferences and choose whether to share your contact information with Xbox partners by accessing My Account or through Settings on the Xbox console.

You also have the option of proactively making choices about the receipt of promotional e-mail, telephone calls, and postal mail from Microsoft by visiting and signing into the Promotional Communications Manager, which allows you to update contact information, manage Microsoft-wide contact preferences, opt out of subscriptions, and choose whether to share your contact information with Microsoft partners. If you do not have a Microsoft account, you can manage your Microsoft email communication preferences by using this web form. These choices do not apply to the display of online advertising; please refer to the section "Display of Advertising (Opt-out)" for details. Nor do they apply to the receipt of mandatory service communications that are considered part of certain Microsoft services, which you may receive periodically unless you cancel the service.

Xbox Live RewardsRewards

Xbox Live Rewards is a program you can join to receive Xbox credit for being active on the Services. It can be reached at rewards.xbox.com. You must agree to receive promotional communications from the Rewards program as a condition of joining. The program collects personal information including first name, last name, gamer tag, and demographic information.

Xbox Live Rewards is a program you can join to receive Xbox credits for being active on the Services. It can be reached at rewards.xbox.com, a web site that the third-party company ePrize hosts for Microsoft. You must agree to receive promotional communications from the Rewards program as a condition of joining. You sign in to Rewards using your Microsoft account, and the program collects personal information including first name, last name, gamertag, and demographic information. Information is stored at ePrize and shared with Microsoft. You can review and edit the personal information you provided to the Rewards program by contacting ePrize at privacy@eprize.com.

Cookies & Similiar TechnologiesCookies

Most Microsoft websites use "cookies," which are small text files stored on your device, to help operate the sites and collect information about online activity. For instance, we use cookies to store your preferences and settings; help with sign-in; provide targeted ads; combat fraud; and analyze site operations.

We also use web beacons to help deliver cookies and compile analytics. These may include web beacons from third-party service providers.

You have a variety of tools to control cookies and similar technologies, including:

Controls from some analytics service providers to opt out of data collection through web beacons.

Most Microsoft websites use "cookies," which are small text files stored on your device, to help operate the sites and collect information about online activity. The text in a cookie often consists of a string of numbers and letters that uniquely identifies your computer, but it may contain other information as well. Here is an example of a unique ID number stored in a cookie that we might place on your device when you visit one of our websites: E3732CA7E319442F97EA48A170C99801. Our websites may also contain web beacons or other similar technologies. Microsoft uses cookies and similar technologies for a variety of purposes, described in more detail below.

How to Control Cookies and Similar Technologies

Microsoft provides browser controls to help you manage cookies. You can also accept cookies but opt out of their use to behaviorally target advertisements. For instance, Microsoft’s advertising preference and opt-out controls are available at http://choice.live.com/advertisementchoice/.

Browser Controls to Block Cookies.

Most web browsers automatically accept cookies but allow you to modify your browser setting to block cookies. For example, in Internet Explorer 11, you can block cookies by taking the following steps:

Click "Tools" and then select "Internet Options"

Click the "Privacy" tab at the top of the window

Move the slider up or down to indicate the rules you want to apply for blocking cookies

Instructions for blocking cookies in other browsers are available at each browser’s privacy statement.

Please be aware that if you choose to block cookies, you may not be able to sign in or use other interactive features of Microsoft sites and services that depend on cookies, and any advertising preferences that are dependent on cookies may be lost.

Browser Controls to Delete Cookies.

If you accept cookies, you can delete them later. For example, in Internet Explorer 11, you can delete cookies by taking the following steps:

Click "Tools" and then select "Internet Options"

On the "General" tab, under "Browsing History," click the "Delete" button

On the pop-up, select the box next to “Cookies”

Click the "Delete" button

Instructions for deleting cookies in other browsers are available at each browser’s privacy statement.

Please be aware that if you choose to delete cookies, any settings and preferences controlled by those cookies, including advertising preferences, will be deleted and will need to be recreated.

Browser Controls for “Do Not Track” and Tracking Protection.

Some newer browsers have incorporated “Do Not Track” features. Most of these features, when turned on, send a signal or preference to the websites you visit indicating that you do not wish to be tracked. Those sites (or the third-party content on those sites) may continue to engage in activities you might view as tracking even though you have expressed this preference, depending on the sites’ privacy practices. Because there is not yet a common understanding of how to interpret the DNT signal, Microsoft does not currently respond to the browser DNT signals on its own websites or online services, or on third-party websites or online services where Microsoft provides advertisements, content or is otherwise able to collect information. We continue to work with the online industry to define a common understanding of how to treat DNT signals. In the meantime, users may continue to opt out of targeted ads from Microsoft as set forth below.

Internet Explorer (versions 9 and up) have a feature called Tracking Protection that helps prevent the websites you go to from automatically sending details about your visit to third-party content providers. When you add a Tracking Protection List, Internet Explorer will block third-party content, including cookies, from any site that is listed as a site to be blocked. By limiting calls to these sites, Internet Explorer will limit the information these third-party sites can collect about you. For more information about Tracking Protection Lists and Do Not Track, please see the Internet Explorer Privacy Statement or Internet Explorer Help.

Advertising Opt-Out Controls.

Because cookies can be used for many purposes, users who do not want to receive behaviorally targeted advertising can choose to accept cookies but opt out from that particular use. Companies in the online advertising industry have developed guidelines and programs to help protect users’ privacy, and these industry programs include web pages you can visit to opt out from receiving behaviorally targeted advertisements from all participating companies (including Microsoft). These pages include:

Individual advertising companies may also offer their own opt-out capabilities plus more advanced advertising choices. For instance, Microsoft’s advertising preference and opt-out controls are available at http://choice.live.com/advertisementchoice/. Please note that opting out does not mean that you will stop getting ads or see fewer ads; however, if you do opt out, the ads that you receive will no longer be behaviorally targeted. In addition, opting out does not stop information from going to our servers, but it does stop our creation or updating of profiles that might be used for behavioral advertising.

Third-Party Analytics Controls.

As described in more detail below, many websites and online services from Microsoft and other companies use third-party analytic services, which use cookies and web beacons to compile aggregated statistics regarding the effectiveness of promotional campaigns or other website operations. You can opt out of data collection or use by some of these analytics providers by clicking the following links:

Storing your Preferences and Settings. If you enter your city or postal code to get local news or weather information on a Microsoft site, we may store that city or postal code in a cookie so that you will see the relevant local information when you return to the site. This can save you time by eliminating the need to repeatedly enter the same information every time you visit the site.

Sign-in and Authentication. When you sign in to a site or service using your Microsoft account, we store a unique ID number, and the time you signed in, in an encrypted cookie on your device. This cookie allows you to move from page to page at the site without having to sign in again on each page.

Targeted Advertising. When we display online advertisements to you, we will place one or more cookies on your device in order to recognize it each time we display an ad to you. Because we serve advertisements on the websites of our advertising and publisher partners, as well as our own, we are able to compile information over time about the types of pages, content and ads you, or others who are using your computer, visited or viewed. This information helps us select the ads we show you. For example, it helps us try to ensure that you do not see the same advertisements repeatedly. It also helps us select and display targeted advertisements that we believe may be of interest to you. You can find more information about this use of cookies, including how to opt out of receiving targeted advertising from Microsoft, in the Microsoft Advertising Privacy Statement.

Site Analytics. We may use cookies to count the number of unique visitors to a web page or service or to develop other aggregate statistics about the operations of our sites and services. These analytics help us operate and improve the performance of these sites and services.

Some of the cookies we commonly use are listed in the following chart. This list is not exhaustive, but it is intended to illustrate the main reasons we typically set cookies. If you visit one of our websites, the site may set some or all of the following cookies:

Cookie name

Description

MUID

Identifies unique browsers visiting Microsoft sites. It is used for advertising, site analytics and other operational purposes.

ANON

Contains the ANID, a unique identifier used to help identify which ads a customer may like. It is also used to preserve your choice to opt out of behaviorally targeted ads from Microsoft, if you have chosen to associate the opt-out with your Microsoft account.

CC

Contains a country code as determined by reverse IP address lookup.

Microsoft account authentication

Authentication cookies (e.g., RPSTAuth, MSNRPSAuth, KievRPSAuth) used when you sign in with your Microsoft account.

NAP

Contains an encrypted version of your country, postal code, age, gender, language and occupation, if known, based on your Microsoft account profile.

MH

Appears on co-branded sites where Microsoft is partnering with an advertiser. This cookie identifies the advertiser so the right ad is selected.

ACH01

Maintains information about which ads you clicked on and where you clicked on the ad.

In addition to the cookies Microsoft may set when you visit our websites, third parties may also set cookies when you visit Microsoft sites. In some cases, that is because we have hired the third party to provide services on our behalf, such as site analytics. In other cases, it is because our web pages contain content or ads from third parties, such as videos, news content or ads delivered by other ad networks. Because your browser connects to those third parties’ web servers to retrieve that content, those third parties are able to set or read their own cookies on your device and may collect information about your online activities across websites or online services.

Microsoft does not deploy cookies on the Xbox console. The browser on Xbox does allow cookies to be set, and you can manage those cookies through browser settings. Third party applications accessed through the console may set cookies. Consult the application’s privacy statement for more information.

Our Use of Web Beacons

Microsoft web pages may contain electronic images known as web beacons - sometimes called single-pixel gifs - that may be used to help deliver cookies on our sites, count users who have visited those pages and deliver co-branded services. Sometimes we include web beacons in our promotional email messages or newsletters to determine whether messages have been opened and acted upon.

We sometimes work with other companies that advertise on Microsoft sites to place web beacons on their sites or in their advertisements to let us develop statistics on how often clicking on an advertisement on a Microsoft site results in a purchase or other action on the advertiser's site.

Finally, Microsoft sites may contain web beacons from third parties to help us compile aggregated statistics regarding the effectiveness of our promotional campaigns or other web site operations. These web beacons may allow the third parties to set or read a cookie on your computer. These companies may collect information about your online activities across websites or online servers, however, we prohibit third parties from using web beacons on our sites to collect or access information that directly identifies you (such as your name or email address). You may be able to opt out from data collection or use by these third-party analytics companies as described under “Third-Party Analytics Controls” above.

Other Similar Technologies

In addition to standard cookies and web beacons, websites can use other technologies to store and read data files on your computer. This may be done to maintain your preferences or to improve speed and performance by storing certain files locally. But, like standard cookies, these technologies can also be used to store a unique identifier for your computer, which can then be used to track online activity. These technologies include Local Shared Objects (or "Flash cookies"), HTML5 Local Storage and Silverlight Application Storage.

Silverlight Application Storage. Websites or applications that use Microsoft Silverlight technology can store data on your device using Silverlight Application Storage. To learn how to manage or block such storage, visit the Silverlight Privacy Statement.

Payment DataPayment Data

Payment Data is the information that you provide when you make online purchases. This may include your payment instrument number (e.g., credit card, PayPal), your name and billing address, and the security code associated with your payment instrument (e.g., the CSV or CVV). This section provides additional information regarding the collection and use of your payment information.

Payment Data is the information that you provide when you make online purchases. This may include your payment instrument number (e.g., credit card, PayPal), your name and billing address, and the security code associated with your payment instrument (e.g., the CSV or CVV). This section provides additional information regarding the collection and use of your payment information.

Payment Data is used to complete your transaction, as well as for the detection and prevention of fraud. In support of these uses, Microsoft may share your Payment Data with banks and other entities that process payment transactions or other financial services, and for fraud prevention and credit risk reduction.

When you provide Payment Data while logged in with your Microsoft or organizational account we will store some of that data to help you complete future transactions.

You may update or remove the payment instrument information associated with your Microsoft account by logging in at https://commerce.microsoft.com. You may remove the payment instrument information associated with your organizational account by contacting Customer Support. After you close your account or remove a payment instrument, however, Microsoft may retain your payment instrument data for as long as reasonably necessary to complete your existing transaction, to comply with Microsoft’s legal and reporting requirements, and for the detection and prevention of fraud.

Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited is our data protection representative for the European Economic Area and Switzerland. The data protection officer of Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited can be reached at the following address:

Below you will find additional privacy information you may find important. Much of this describes practices that are common across the industry, but we want make sure you are aware of them. Please keep in mind that this information is not a complete description of our practices - this is all in addition to the other, more specific information contained elsewhere in this privacy statement.

Microsoft is committed to protecting the security of your personal information. We use a variety of security technologies and procedures to help protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use or disclosure. For example, we store the personal information you provide on computer systems that have limited access and are in controlled facilities. When we transmit highly confidential information (such as a credit card number or password) over the Internet, we protect it through the use of encryption, such as the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol.

If a password is used to help protect your accounts and personal information, it is your responsibility to keep your password confidential. Do not share it. If you are sharing a computer, you should always log out before leaving a site or service to protect access to your information from subsequent users.

Where Information is Stored and Processed

Personal information collected on Microsoft sites and services may be stored and processed in the United States or any other country where Microsoft or its affiliates, subsidiaries or service providers maintain facilities. Microsoft abides by the U.S.-EU Safe Harbor Framework and the U.S.-Swiss Safe Harbor Framework as set forth by the U.S. Department of Commerce regarding the collection, use and retention of data from the European Economic Area and Switzerland. To learn more about the Safe Harbor program, and to view our certification, please visit http://www.export.gov/safeharbor/.

Microsoft may retain your personal information for a variety of reasons, such as to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, enforce our agreements, and as long as necessary to provide services. To learn how to access your personal information, visit Accessing Your Information.

Changes to Our Privacy Statements

We will occasionally update our privacy statements to reflect customer feedback and changes in our services. When we post changes to a statement, we will revise the "last updated" date at the top of the statement. If there are material changes to the statement or in how Microsoft will use your personal information, we will notify you either by prominently posting a notice of such changes before they take effect or by directly sending you a notification. We encourage you to periodically review the privacy statements for the products and services you use to learn how Microsoft is protecting your information.

This privacy statement applies to Xbox products and services ("Services"), which include Xbox console versions, the Xbox Live service, Games for Windows Live, Windows Phone Games, Xbox Music, Xbox Store, and other products and services that link to this privacy statement. This privacy statement does not apply to other Microsoft products and services that do not link to the Xbox Privacy Statement.

Please read the summaries below and click "Learn More" for more details. Some products, services or features mentioned in this statement may not be available in all markets. You may find still more information about Microsoft’s commitment to protecting your privacy at http://www.microsoft.com/privacy.

Microsoft account

Summary

Microsoft account is a service that lets you sign in to Microsoft products, web sites and services, as well as those of select Microsoft partners. When you create a Microsoft account, we ask you to provide certain information. When you sign in to a site or service using your Microsoft account, we collect certain information in order to verify your identity on behalf of the site or service, to protect you from malicious account usage and to protect the efficiency and security of the Microsoft account service. We also send some of this information to sites and services that you sign in to with your Microsoft account.

We use demographic information – gender, country, age and postal code but not your name or contact information – from your Microsoft account to provide personalized ads to you. You may opt out of receiving targeted ads from Microsoft Advertising by visiting our opt-out page.

To view additional details about Microsoft account, including how to create and use a Microsoft account, how to edit account information, and how we collect and use information relating to a Microsoft account, please click on Learn More.

Also, some of the applications on Xbox Live are delivered by a partner company, which may require that you create an account and sign-in credentials to use that application. You should read the application’s privacy statement to understand how your data will be managed. None of this separate account credential information will be shared with Microsoft.

When you create an account (on Xbox Live), we auto-generate a nickname for the account called a gamertag, which is used to identify you when you use the Service. Because the gamertag may be publicly displayed, you should not use personal information in your gamertag.

Full text

Microsoft account (formerly known as Windows Live ID and Microsoft Passport) is a service that allows you to sign in to Microsoft products, web sites and services, as well as those of select Microsoft partners.

Creating a Microsoft account

You can create a Microsoft account here by providing an email address, a password and other security information, such as an alternate email address and a phone number. We will use your security information for security purposes only - for instance, to verify your identity or to reset your password if you cannot access your Microsoft account. Some services may require added security, and in those cases, you may be asked to provide additional information. The email address and password that you use to sign up for your Microsoft account are your "credentials" that you will use to authenticate with our network. We assign a unique ID number to your credentials to identify your credentials and associated information.

You can use an email address provided by Microsoft (such as those ending in outlook.com, live.com, hotmail.com or msn.com) or an email address provided by a third party (such as those ending in gmail.com or yahoo.com) when signing up for your Microsoft account. You must use an email address that you own on an email service that you have access to.

When you create a Microsoft account, we will also ask you to provide the following demographic information: gender, country, birthdate and postal code. We may use birthdate to verify that children obtain appropriate consent from a parent or guardian to use a Microsoft account, as required by local law. We use this demographic information for market research. This demographic information also is used by our online advertising systems to provide you with personalized advertisements about products and services you might find useful, but our advertising systems do not receive or use any information that can personally and directly identify you (such as your name, email address or phone number). If you prefer not to receive personalized ads, you may register your preference with your Microsoft account by visiting our opt-out page so that whenever you sign in to web sites or services with your Microsoft account, our advertising systems will not serve you personalized ads. For more information about how Microsoft uses information for advertising, please see the Microsoft Advertising Privacy Statement.

Upon creating a Microsoft account using an email address provided by a third party, we will send you an email asking you to verify that you are the owner of the email address associated with your Microsoft account. This is designed to verify the validity of the email address and help prevent email addresses from being used without the permission of their owners.

We will use the email address you used to create your Microsoft account to send you communications relating to your use of Microsoft products and services and to the security of your account. We may also send you promotional emails about Microsoft products and services as permitted by local law. For information about managing your receipt of promotional communications, please visit Communications.

Signing into software, sites or services with your Microsoft account

When you sign in to a site or service using your Microsoft account, we collect certain information in order to verify your identity on behalf of the site or service, to protect you from malicious account usage and to protect the efficiency and security of the Microsoft account service. For instance, when you sign in, the Microsoft account service receives your credentials and logs your sign-in name and other information, such as the unique number assigned to your credentials, your IP address, your operating system and web browser version and a time and date. If you use a Microsoft account to sign in to a device or software that is installed on a device, a random unique ID is assigned to the device; this random unique ID will be sent as part of your credentials to the Microsoft account service when you sign in to a site or service with your Microsoft account and will be used to help protect your account. The Microsoft account service sends the following limited verification information to the site or service that you have signed in to: the unique ID number assigned to your credentials that permits the site or service to determine whether you are the same person from one sign-in session to the next; the version number assigned to your account (a new number is assigned each time you change your sign-in information); whether your email address has been confirmed; and whether your account has been deactivated.

When you sign in to Windows with a Microsoft account, Windows will send standard computer information to Microsoft as well as your device’s manufacturer, model name and version. We may use this to personalize certain communications to you, such as emails intended to help you get started with your device. If you sign in to your Windows 8.1 device with your Microsoft account, Windows uses your Microsoft account information to sign you in to Microsoft applications, web sites and services. To learn more about signing in to Windows with a Microsoft account, please see the Windows 8.1 Privacy Statement.

Some third-party sites and services that permit you to sign in with your Microsoft account require your email address in order to provide you with their services. In those cases, when you sign in, Microsoft will provide your email address but not your password to the site or service. If you created your Microsoft account credentials with the site or service, it may have limited access to information associated with your credentials and profile as noted during account creation.

If you received your account from a third party, like a school, a business, an internet service provider or the administrator of a managed domain, that third party may have rights with respect to your account, including the ability to reset your password, view your account usage or profile information, read or store content in your account, and suspend or cancel your account. In these cases, you are subject to the Microsoft Services Agreement and to any additional terms of use from that third party. If you are the administrator of a managed domain and have provided your users with Microsoft accounts, you are responsible for all activity that takes place within those accounts.

Please note that sites and services that permit you to sign in with your Microsoft account can use or share your email address or other personal information that you provide to them as described in their privacy statements. They can share the unique ID number the Microsoft account service provides them only in order to fulfill a service or transaction that you may have requested. All sites or services that use the Microsoft account are required to have a posted privacy statement, but we do not control or monitor the privacy practices of those sites, and their privacy practices will vary. You should carefully review the privacy statement for each site you sign in to in order to determine how each site or service will use the information it collects.

Connecting your Microsoft account to your social network accounts

You may connect your Microsoft account to your account on a social network such as Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn in order to access information from that social network in your Microsoft account. For example, connecting your Microsoft account to your social network account lets you see status updates or messages from people you have friended or are following on the social network in your Outlook.com inbox; include them in your Microsoft account address book; and view their birthdays in your Microsoft account calendar. If you choose to connect your Microsoft account to your account on a social network, we will cache certain information about your social network account on our servers so that we can display updated information from your social network account.

You can see a list of the social networks that offer accounts to which you can connect your Microsoft account, as well as the social network accounts that you’ve actually connected to your Microsoft account, by signing in and going to profile.live.com/services. You can disconnect a social network account from your Microsoft account at any time at profile.live.com/services. If you disconnect a social network account, we will no longer cache information from that account.

Microsoft is not responsible for content originating from non-Microsoft services or for information you share with or send to those services. If you use a third-party service, its use of your information is subject to its privacy practices. You should carefully review the privacy statement for each social network account you connect to your Microsoft account to determine how it will use the information it collects.

Accessing your personal information and closing your account

You can access the personal information in your Microsoft account by going to the Microsoft account summary page. You can change your username if your Microsoft account does not belong to a managed domain. And you can change your password, alternate email address and phone number. You may also close your Microsoft account by going to account and then "Close your account." If your Microsoft account is within a managed domain, there may be a special process for closing your Microsoft account. Please note that if you are an Outlook.com user or have a billing account with Microsoft, if you go to account, you may be redirected to your account page for those services.

If you use an email address provided by Microsoft (such as those ending in outlook.com, live.com, hotmail.com or msn.com) when signing up for your Microsoft account, that email address will be unique to you for as long as your Microsoft account is active. If you or Microsoft close your Microsoft account as provided in the Microsoft Services Agreement, that email address or username (but not the Microsoft account itself) may be recycled into our system and assigned to another user. More information about Microsoft account is available at the Microsoft account web site

Non-Microsoft Account

Some of the applications found on Xbox Live are delivered by a partner company, which may require that you create an account and sign-in credentials to use that application. You should read the application’s privacy statement to understand how your data will be managed. None of this separate account credential information will be shared with Microsoft. If you choose to link your Microsoft account with your account with a partner company, Microsoft may share limited account information with that company. Such account information may include name, address, email and date of birth but will not include any credit card or other payment information. For games that enable in-game communications, the game publisher may also have access to the content of in-game communications when you are signed into your account with the publisher.

Gamertags

When you create an account (on Xbox Live), we auto-generate a nickname for the account called a gamertag, which is used to identify you when you use the Service. You can change your gamertag by accessing your profile on Xbox.com or a device connected to the Service. Because the gamertag may be publicly displayed, you should not use personal information in your gamertag. Gamertags and associated data like game stats and presence can be seen on properties associated with the Service, such as game leader boards, including those of partner companies.

Information We Collect

Summary

Microsoft collects many kinds of information in order to operate effectively and provide you the best products, services and experiences we can.

We collect information when you register, sign in and use our sites and services. We also get information from other companies.

We collect this information in a variety of ways, including from web forms, use of Xbox features, technologies like cookies, web logging and software on your computer or other device.

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Microsoft collects many kinds of information in order to operate effectively and provide you the best products, services and experiences we can. Some of this information you provide directly to us. Some of it we get by observing how you interact with our products and services. Some of it is available from other sources, and we may combine it with the data we collect directly. Regardless of the source, we believe it's important to treat your information with care and to help you maintain your privacy.

What we collect:

Registration - When you sign up to use our sites or services you may be required to provide information about yourself, such as your name, birthdate and postal code.

Signing in - To access some Microsoft services, you will need to sign in with an e-mail address and password, which we refer to as your Microsoft account. If you access our services via a mobile phone, you may also use your telephone number and a PIN as an alternative credential to your username and password. By signing in on one Microsoft site or service, you may be automatically signed into other Microsoft sites and services that use the Microsoft account. Click here for more Microsoft account privacy information.

Using our sites, services and applications - We collect information that tells us how you interact with our services, including the browser you're using, your IP address, location, cookies or other unique IDs, the pages you visit and features you use.

Service statistics - We may collect information about your use of Xbox Services. This information can include such activities as: number of times you sign into and sign-off from the Services; games you have played on the Services; content you obtain on the Services; and game-score statistics. If you use an Xbox console that includes a storage device (hard drive or memory unit), and if you play offline or have never signed into the Services on the console, usage data will be stored on the storage device and sent to Microsoft the next time you sign into the Services. We also may collect and automatically upload certain information about the Services’ performance and your device. Such data may include Xbox console hardware and operating performance data, manufacturing codes from game discs, network performance data, and Service quality data. If you use the Xbox console with Kinect, we may also collect data about how you use the Kinect to access the Services. Any software or hardware errors - may be uploaded and reported to Microsoft, either at the time the error occurs or the next time you are online. All such data may be stored with the Xbox console's unique identifier and may be associated with personally identifiable information. When your Xbox is connected to the Internet, Microsoft is able to identify which console and which version of the Xbox operating system you are currently using. In addition, when you access the Services via a personal computer, Microsoft will collect information about the Xbox Live software version you are using. This information alerts Microsoft to provide you with appropriate auto-updates and to protect the security of the Services. Additionally, game publishers may receive usage information when you interact with their titles.

Anti-cheating - In order to create a fair gaming experience for all users by detecting cheating, Microsoft will periodically collect the following information about your device when you sign on to Xbox Live: your IP address, operating system and Xbox Live software version, and other non-personally identifiable system information. In addition Microsoft may also collect information about other software running on your device, or hardware connected to it that based on Microsoft’s analysis is suspected to be used for cheating. Microsoft will use this information to protect the security of the Services and may take enforcement action against an account (on Xbox Live) and/or Xbox Live connected device; however, we will not use this information in any way that disables any other software running on a device.

Search and browser - You may be able to search for Xbox applications, content or services using voice or text commands on the Xbox console or on a mobile phone using a search module powered by Bing. To learn how Bing protects your privacy, read the Bing Privacy Statement. You may choose to use the Internet Explorer application on Xbox. To learn how Internet Explorer protects your privacy, read the Internet Explorer Privacy Statement. When you search on Xbox, Microsoft will collect and store your search terms in order to provide you search results and improve Microsoft products. We store search terms separately from any account information that directly identifies you. If you use your voice to enter search terms on Xbox, we will convert your voice to text in order to provide you search results. Whether we can also use your voice data for product improvement is controlled separately. To learn more, see the Kinect section.

Live television - If you have an adult account and choose to watch live television via the Xbox TV App on your Xbox One, we may ask your permission to collect information about television programming you watch in order to provide you with content recommendations, to provide other Xbox users anonymous aggregate data about what is being watched via Xbox One, and to improve the Xbox One live television feature. You can control whether we collect this programming information. We do not collect this information for child and teen accounts.

Xbox Music and Video - We may also collect information about music and videos you purchase or stream from Microsoft through Xbox; this information is used to provide you recommendations, to provide Xbox users anonymous aggregate data about what others are listening to or watching on Xbox, and to improve the Xbox Music and Xbox Video services. If you enable Cortana on your Windows Phone, Microsoft will collect and use information related to the music you play via Xbox Music to provide personalized experiences, relevant suggestions, and to improve Cortana and other Microsoft products and Services.

Third-party video services-You can choose whether to allow us to know information about videos you purchase or view through third-party apps on Xbox.

Data from other sources-We may get additional information about you, such as demographic data we purchase from other companies. In addition, since Xbox gives you access to applications and game titles that may be provided by a partner company, the partner may send us information on how you use its service, subject to that partner’s privacy statement. It may also deliver information to enable us to provide you recommendations.

How we collect information:

We use a number of methods and technologies to gather information about how you use our sites and services, such as:

Web forms, including s when you type information into a registration form or type a search query into a search box.

Technologies like cookies and web beacons (Please visit this web page to learn more about these technologies), such as when you visit Xbox.com or click on ads we place on other sites.

Web logging, which enables us to collect the standard information your browser sends to every web site you visit - such as your IP address, browser type and language, and the site you came from - as well as the pages you visit and the links you click while using our sites and services.

Software installed on your device, which may send back information needed to operate, update or improve that software.

How We Use Your Personal Information

Summary

Microsoft uses the information we collect to operate, improve and personalize the products and services we offer.

We also may use the information to communicate with you, for example, informing you about your account and security updates.

And we may use the information to help make the ads you see on our ad-supported services more relevant.

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Microsoft uses the information we collect to operate and improve our products and services. These uses may include personalizing the Services, providing recommendations, providing your transaction history to you, responding to your requests for customer support and improving the quality of the gaming experience and of Microsoft products, including Kinect. Information collected through one Microsoft service may be combined with information collected through other Microsoft services to give you a more consistent and personalized experience in your interactions with us. We may also supplement this with information from other companies. For example, we may use services from other companies to help us derive a general geographic area based on your IP address in order to customize certain services to your geographic area.

We also may use the information to communicate with you; for example, informing you when a subscription is ending, letting you know when security updates are available or letting you know when you need to take action to keep your account active.

Microsoft provides many of our sites and services free of charge because they are supported by advertising. In order to make these services widely available, the information we collect may be used to help improve the advertisements you see by making them more relevant to you.

If you participate in leaderboards, live-hosted gameplay, achievements, tournaments, and gamer-profile sharing, Microsoft and such partners as game publishers and service providers may collect, disclose and share your game scores; game play sessions; your presence on the Services; the time you spend on or within particular portions of the Services; portions of the Services that are displayed on your monitor or screen and the duration of that display; rankings, statistics, gamer profiles, avatars, and content that you may submit; and other usage information. These may be provided with or without attribution to you, your gamertag or avatar. In addition, for certain features to work in the context of specific games that you choose to use, publishers of those games may have access to the online contact information (such as a screen name) that allows others to contact you (or your associated accounts) on Xbox Live as permitted by your Privacy and Online settings.

Reasons We Share Your Personal Information

Summary

We will share your personal information with your consent. We may also share or disclose information with Microsoft affiliates and vendors; when required by law or to respond to legal process; to protect our customers; to protect lives; to maintain the security of our services; and to protect the rights or property of Microsoft.

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We will share your personal information with your consent. For example, we share your content with third parties when you tell us to do so, such as when you send an email to a friend, share photos and documents on OneDrive or link accounts with another service.

We may share or disclose personal information with other Microsoft controlled subsidiaries and affiliates, and with vendors or agents working on our behalf. For example, companies we've hired to provide customer service support or assist in protecting and securing our systems and services may need access to personal information in order to provide those functions. In such cases, these companies must abide by our data privacy requirements and are not allowed to use the information for any other purpose. We may also disclose personal information as part of a corporate transaction such as a merger or sale of assets.

Finally, we may access, disclose and preserve your personal information, including your private content (such as the content of your emails, other private communications or files in private folders), when we have a good faith belief that doing so is necessary to:

comply with applicable law or respond to valid legal process from competent authorities, including from law enforcement or other government agencies;

protect our customers, for example to prevent spam or attempts to defraud users of the services, or to help prevent the loss of life or serious injury of anyone;

operate and maintain the security of our services, including to prevent or stop an attack on our computer systems or networks; or

protect the rights or property of Microsoft, including enforcing the terms governing the use of the services – however, if we receive information indicating that someone is using our services to traffic in stolen intellectual or physical property of Microsoft, we will not inspect a customer’s private content ourselves, but we may refer the matter to law enforcement.

Please note that some of our sites and services include links to sites or services of third parties that have privacy practices different from those of Microsoft. If you submit personal information to any of those sites or services, your information is governed by the privacy statements of those third parties.

Accessing Your Personal Information

Summary

You can view or edit your personal information, including billing and account information, privacy settings, online safety and data sharing preferences by accessing My Account or through Settings on the Xbox console. You can cancel your account at any time by contacting Customer Support. Go here to find contact information for Customer Support.

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You can view or edit your personal information, including billing and account information, privacy settings, online safety and data sharing preferences by accessing My Account or through Settings on the Xbox console. You can cancel your account at any time by contacting Customer Support. Go here to find contact information for Customer Support.

You can also contact Microsoft by using the web form. We will respond to requests to access or delete your personal information within 30 days.

Kinect

Summary

Kinect creates a virtual gaming environment where your body motions and voice can be used to control gameplay and to navigate through the Service. Kinect uses an infrared sensor, camera, and microphone to make control possible. You can turn Kinect off at any time.

The camera can be used to sign you in. To do so, it takes an image of your face and then measures distances between key points on your face to create a numeric value that represents only you. No one could look at the numbers and know they represent you. This authentication information stays on the console and is not shared with anyone.

You control what happens to photographs taken during gameplay and whether voice commands are captured for analysis.

When Kinect is used with certain games and apps, your skeletal movements can be used to estimate exercise stats. You can decide how your stats are managed and whether they are shared.

Some game titles may take advantage of a new Xbox capability called expressions. This feature allows you to use your defined facial expressions to control or influence a game. This data does not identify you, stays on the console and is destroyed once your session ends.

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The Kinect sensor is a combination of camera, microphone, and infrared sensor. It enables you to be the controller, using voice, gestures or body movements.

Kinect’s camera and infrared sensor can be used to track your gestures or body movements as you control games or apps, or to navigate through Xbox. The camera can be used to sign you into the Services on the console using facial recognition technology if you choose. To do this it takes an image of your face and then measures distances between key points on your face to create a numeric value that represents only you. This value is stored as a very long set of numbers. No one could look at the numbers and know they represent you. This information stays on the console and is not shared with anyone. If you choose to sign in using Kinect, it looks at your face and if it recognizes you, you will be signed in to your profile. It also allows you to join a game in progress and be signed in automatically. You can choose to delete this information on your console. And you can always choose to sign in using the controller instead of Kinect.

Infrared helps services function in low-light settings and can be used for gameplay as needed.

For gameplay, Kinect will map distances between your body’s joints to create a stick figure – a “skeleton” – that helps Kinect enable gameplay on your console or between you and another online player. The numeric values for the stick figures are temporarily stored in memory on your console during the gameplay session, then are destroyed when you end the session. If you are playing online, Microsoft may collect those numeric values to enable and improve gameplay and improve the gaming experience. The numeric values sent to Microsoft are destroyed after analysis is complete. The stick figure representation cannot be used to identify you.

Kinect is also tracking hand gestures. When the sensor detects specific hand gestures intended to do simple system interactions (such as menu navigation, menu selection, pan/zoom, scroll), these motions are translated to specific “input instructions” as if they were happening from any other input device (such as a controller). These “input instructions” cannot be used to identify you.

Some game titles may take advantage of a new Xbox capability called expressions. This feature allows you to use your facial expressions to control or influence a game. This data does not identify you, stays on the console and is destroyed once your session ends.

Some Kinect games include a feature to photograph you while you are engaging in game play. Games must let you know if they are taking photos; they must tell you where the images are being stored and how to access them. You can view your photographs and decide whether to keep, transfer them off the console, or discard them. These photographs do not leave the console unless you choose to share them.

Kinect’s microphones help enable chat and audio. Chat includes online voice talk between players during gameplay or talking to others using services such as Skype. We monitor a portion of communications in live-hosted multiplayer gameplay sessions offered through the Services to the extent permitted by law. It is not feasible for us to monitor the entire Service, and we make no attempt to do so. You understand that others can record and use these communications. Communications in live-hosted gameplay sessions may also be broadcast to others. Please note that Xbox does not listen in on Skype calls.

Audio includes commands for voice control of the console (for example, “Xbox Play”), using the Xbox voice search service, or altering the dynamic of gameplay (for example, menu navigation or interacting with the game environment). ). If you use your voice to enter search terms on Xbox, we will collect your voice snippet and convert your voice to text in order to provide you search results.

Voice Data for Product Improvement – You control whether Microsoft can use your Kinect voice data for product improvement. With user consent, samples of voice commands or voice search requests occurring while using Kinect may be collected and periodically sent to Microsoft for product improvement. You can view the settings related to voice data use, both voice commands and voice search data, via the Settings. If you change your choice around the use of this data for product improvement from Allow to Block, this will stop collection of voice samples and delete any voice samples stored on the console awaiting upload. It will not delete what has already been sent to Microsoft. We store voice data used for product improvement separately from any account information that directly identifies you.

Managing your Kinect experience

If you choose to use Kinect as an authenticated user, the sign-in data does not leave the console. You can delete all the Kinect sign-in data you have stored on the console by going to Settings, disabling Kinect sign-in, and selecting "Remove my Kinect sign-in data" or by removing your profile from that console. If you choose to use Kinect as an unauthenticated guest, Xbox creates a temporary unique identifier for you that lets you participate in a gaming session. When the session is finished, Xbox deletes the data about you.

Youcan disable Kinect from the Kinect section in Settings. To enable Kinect again, you will need to go back to Settings.

You can disconnect Kinect by simply unplugging it from the back of the Xbox console.

If the console is in instant-on mode, then when the console is turned off, anyone will be able to wake the console by saying “Xbox On.” You can manage whether the console listens for this phrase from Settings.

Exercise Information – If you use Xbox Fitness on Xbox One, or certain games and apps on Xbox 360, Xbox can use the Kinect sensor to estimate your exercise info, including estimates such as your heart rate during a certain activity or the number of calories burned during a workout. To improve the accuracy of your exercise info, you can enter attributes such as your height, weight, age, and gender. To share your accomplishments and participate in Xbox Live Fitness challenges, you can share your exercise info on Xbox Live. You can also choose to keep your exercise info private. New accounts created on the Xbox One have a have privacy defaults on exercise info set to block, which means it’s stored online and kept private. On Xbox 360, you can store your exercise info online or offline, on that Xbox 360. Children’s exercise info settings are controlled by adults in their Xbox families. To delete exercise info, do so through the apps or games you used to create it.

Xbox Music, Video, and TV

Summary

To enable a sharing experience on Xbox Music and Xbox Video and help you discover content that may interest you, Microsoft will collect information about what content you play, the length of play, and the rating you give in Xbox Music and Xbox Video. This information is sent to Microsoft directly from the device using the Xbox Music or Xbox Video service. If you are watching Live TV through the Xbox TV app, you can choose whether your personal live TV viewing history is sent to Microsoft. We may also collect TV viewing history from your console in a way that doesn’t identify you or others.

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To enable the sharing experience on Xbox Music and Xbox Video and help you discover content that may interest you, Microsoft will collect information about what content you play, the length of play, and the rating you give in Xbox Music and Xbox Video. This information is sent to Microsoft directly from the device using the Xbox Music and Xbox Video service. If you enable Cortana on your Windows Phone, Microsoft will collect and use information related to the music you play via Xbox Music to provide personalized experiences, relevant suggestions, and to improve Cortana and other Microsoft products and Services.

There is a privacy setting for your music history that lets you control whether other Xbox Live users can see what music you have listened to via Xbox. There is a privacy setting for your live TV and video history which allows you to control whether other Xbox Live users can see what live TV and on-demand videos you watched via Xbox.

To enrich your experience when playing content, the Services may display related information about the content you play and the content in your music library, such as the album title, cover art, song or video title, and other information, where available. This information may be automatically downloaded and stored with the content in your library or accessed through the internet. When you play or browse content, the Services display the related information. To download this information the Services send an information request to Microsoft containing standard device information, such as your device IP address, device software version, your regional and language settings, and an identifier for the content. The Services will store the resulting information in your content library for future use.

If you use the Services to access content that has been protected with Microsoft Digital Rights Management (DRM), it may automatically request media usage rights from an online rights server and download and install DRM updates in order to let you play the content. See the DRM information in the Microsoft Silverlight Privacy Statement for more information.

Whether your live TV viewing history is available to Microsoft depends on what live TV viewing app you use. If you use the Xbox TV App, there is a customer control allowing adults to choose whether we may collect information about live TV they watch through Xbox in order to provide them with recommendations and to improve the service. We may also collect TV viewing history from your console in a way that doesn’t identify you or others. We do not allow children or teens to choose to send us this information.

If you use a TV viewing application from another company, your privacy settings with that company (if any) determine whether that publisher may send your viewing history to Microsoft.

GameDVR and Upload Studio

Summary

GameDVR is an Xbox One feature that lets you record the game you’re playing, including when you’re playing with other people in your house or multiplayer on Xbox Live.

When playing multiplayer on Xbox Live, any player in that session can use GameDVR to record their view of the gameplay taking place in that session. The recording may capture your in-game character and gamertag in the game clips created by other players in the gameplay session. No audio chat is recorded in these game clips.

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GameDVR is an Xbox One feature that lets you record the game you’re playing, including when you’re playing with other people in your house or multiplayer on Xbox Live. GameDVR can also capture brief recordings automatically created by titles that share the moment when some cool thing was accomplished, such as a perfect dance routine.

When playing multiplayer on Xbox Live any player in that session can use GameDVR to record their view of the gameplay taking place in that session. The recording may capture your in-game character and gamertag in the game clips created by other players in the gameplay session. No audio chat is recorded in these game clips.

Users can go to Settings to control whether the Game DVR service is set to Allow or Block for game clip creation and upload. Users can go to Settings to control whether their game clips are shared with Friends, Everyone, or set to Block. Block is the default for children, and Friends is the default for Teens. Adults in the family can control this for children and teens. Anyone can delete their own game clips.

Upload Studio is an application that allows a person to edit their game clips, providing options to add video and voice-over to the clip. If adults in the family want to prevent children or teens from adding voice and video to their game clips, the option to share content made using Kinect can be set to Block, within Settings.

Microsoft may review game clips for violations of the Xbox Live Code of Conduct. This review may take place even when the game clip sharing is set to Block. There may be a delay before your game clip is visible.

Xbox Location and SmartGlass

Summary

Xbox console and web sites use your IP address to provide the Service. If you allow an Xbox application on Windows Phone to access your location, the approximate location of your phone may be sent periodically to Microsoft in order to award achievements, provide in-game rewards or customize gameplay. For example, games may use your location to award an achievement based on the distance traveled between game sessions. Xbox applications will only collect and store the approximate location of your phone as necessary for these purposes.

Xbox SmartGlass is an application that lets you use a phone or tablet to enhance games and entertainment experiences on the Xbox console. If you choose to download and use Xbox SmartGlass, it will collect only device and usage data (for example, device type and the game or application you are controlling) that cannot be used to identify you.

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Xbox consoles and web sites use your IP address to provide the Services. If you allow an Xbox application on Windows Phone to access your location, the approximate location of your phone may be sent periodically to Microsoft in order to award achievements, provide in-game rewards or customize gameplay. For example, games may use your location to award an achievement based on the distance traveled between game sessions. Xbox applications on Windows Phone will only collect and store the approximate location of your phone as necessary for these purposes. To learn how Windows Phone protects your privacy, read the Windows Phone Privacy Statement. To disable a Windows Phone Xbox application’s access to your phone’s location, go to the Help/Options menu within the application.

Xbox SmartGlass is an application that lets you use a phone or tablet to enhance games and entertainment experiences on the Xbox console. If you choose to download and use Xbox SmartGlass, it will collect only device and usage data (for example, device type and the game or application you are controlling) that cannot be used to identify you. If you have installed SmartGlass and synced your SmartGlass application to the local Xbox console, your mobile device will display content from the service that is active on the Xbox.

Xbox Social

Summary

If you are an Xbox Live subscriber, your gamertag and statistics such as high scores will be visible to other subscribers through the Xbox Live service, and may be visible to the general public, on properties associated with the service (for example, within a game, on the web and/or on the Windows Phone).

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With Xbox Live you can send messages, play games with people, and share your status and activities. You can choose to share different types of information with everybody or friends, or choose to keep some information private (block). You can view and change your current sharing status within Settings. Adults in the family manage the default settings for child and teen accounts.

Some information is shared automatically with other Xbox Live users, including gamertag and some game statistics on leaderboards. This also includes Achievements, depending on your Game DVR privacy settings, title created Game DVR clips. Achievements are awarded for doing something cool in games or other parts of Xbox Live. title created Game DVR clips are brief recordings automatically created by titles that share the moment when some cool thing was accomplished, such as a perfect dance routine. Title created Game DVR clips will be shared in Xbox Live based on your Game DVR privacy control. For more information see GameDVR.

If you use an Xbox console, your personal computer, or SmartGlass, your gamertag will be automatically linked with your authentication network credentials, to personalize your experience. Your gamertag and credentials will also be linked so that when you sign into Xbox.com or other related gaming sites your experience will be personalized and you will have access to additional features. The linkage between your gamertag and Microsoft account may also be shared with third-party game sites in order for those sites to provide you with a personalized experience when you sign in.

If you are an Xbox Live subscriber, your gamertag and statistics, such as high scores will be visible to other subscribers through the Xbox Live service. They may also be visible to the general public on properties associated with the service (for example, within a game, on the web and/or on the Windows Phone). Other data, such as your gamer picture, motto, country, additional statistics, the games you play, and your online presence, may be available to other subscribers; however you can opt out of sharing this additional data or limit sharing within Settings.

Children and Parental Consent

Summary

If you have children who use the Service, you can set up child accounts during account creation. Children 17 and younger cannot create an account for the Service without parental consent. The owner of the associated parent account must consent to the collection of information about the child. As a parent you can choose privacy settings based on your comfort level for each child account.

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If you have children who use the Services, you can set up child accounts for them. Children 17 and younger cannot create an account for the Services without parental consent. The owner of the associated parent account must consent to the collection of information about the child. This may involve the collection and verification of a credit card number in order to help determine that the owner of that parent account is an adult.

When a Microsoft site or service collects age information, it will either block users who say they are under 13 or will ask them to provide consent from a parent or guardian before they can use it. We will not knowingly ask children under 13 to provide more information than is necessary to provide the Service.

When a parent grants consent, the child's account is treated much like any other account. The child may have access to communication services like e-mail, audio and video chat and may be able to communicate with other users of all ages.

Adults in the family can change or revoke the consent choices previously made on Xbox.com. Parents can look in User Accounts for more information on how to review or edit their children's personal information. Parents can contact support here to request the deletion of their children's personal information.

Most of the online advertisements on Microsoft sites and services are displayed by Microsoft Advertising. When we display online advertisements to you, we will place one or more cookies in order to recognize your computer when we display an ad to you. Over time, we may gather information from the sites where we serve ads and use the information to help provide more relevant ads.

You may opt out of receiving targeted ads from Microsoft Advertising by visiting our opt-out page.

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Many of our sites and services are supported by advertising.

Most of the online advertisements on Microsoft sites and services are displayed by Microsoft Advertising. When we display online advertisements to you, we will place one or more cookies on your computer in order to recognize your computer each time we display an ad to you. Because we serve advertisements on our own websites as well as those of our advertising and publisher partners, we are able to compile information over time about the types of pages, content and ads you, or others who are using your computer, visited or viewed. This information helps us select the ads we show you. For example, it helps us try to ensure that you do not see the same advertisements repeatedly. It also helps us select and display targeted advertisements that we believe may be of interest to you.

You should also be aware that some browsers have incorporated “Do Not Track” (DNT) features that, when turned on, send a signal in the browser header to websites and online services indicating that you do not wish to be tracked. It is up to the website or online service you visit (and any third parties providing advertising, content, or other functionality on the website or online service) to decide how it will interpret and treat the signal. However, there is not yet a common understanding of how to interpret the DNT signal. As a result, Microsoft does not currently respond to the browser DNT signals on its own websites or online services, or on third-party websites or online services where Microsoft provides advertisements, content or is otherwise able to collect information. We continue to work with the online industry to define a common understanding of how to treat DNT signals. In the meantime, users may continue to opt-out of targeted ads from Microsoft as set forth above.

Communication Preferences

Summary

You can stop delivery of future promotional e-mail from Xbox by following the specific instructions in the e-mail you receive. If you have an account (on Xbox Live), you can set your contact preferences and choose whether to share your contact information with Xbox partners from Xbox.com or through the console.

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If you receive promotional e-mails from us and would like to stop getting them in the future, you can do so by following the directions in that message.

If you have an account (on Xbox Live), you can set your contact preferences and choose whether to share your contact information with Xbox partners by accessing My Account or through Settings on the Xbox console.

You also have the option of proactively making choices about the receipt of promotional e-mail, telephone calls, and postal mail from Microsoft by visiting and signing into the Promotional Communications Manager, which allows you to update contact information, manage Microsoft-wide contact preferences, opt out of subscriptions, and choose whether to share your contact information with Microsoft partners. If you do not have a Microsoft account, you can manage your Microsoft email communication preferences by using this web form. These choices do not apply to the display of online advertising; please refer to the section "Display of Advertising (Opt-out)" for details. Nor do they apply to the receipt of mandatory service communications that are considered part of certain Microsoft services, which you may receive periodically unless you cancel the service.

Xbox Live Rewards

Summary

Xbox Live Rewards is a program you can join to receive Xbox credit for being active on the Services. It can be reached at rewards.xbox.com. You must agree to receive promotional communications from the Rewards program as a condition of joining. The program collects personal information including first name, last name, gamer tag, and demographic information.

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Xbox Live Rewards is a program you can join to receive Xbox credits for being active on the Services. It can be reached at rewards.xbox.com, a web site that the third-party company ePrize hosts for Microsoft. You must agree to receive promotional communications from the Rewards program as a condition of joining. You sign in to Rewards using your Microsoft account, and the program collects personal information including first name, last name, gamertag, and demographic information. Information is stored at ePrize and shared with Microsoft. You can review and edit the personal information you provided to the Rewards program by contacting ePrize at privacy@eprize.com.

Cookies & Similiar Technologies

Summary

Most Microsoft websites use "cookies," which are small text files stored on your device, to help operate the sites and collect information about online activity. For instance, we use cookies to store your preferences and settings; help with sign-in; provide targeted ads; combat fraud; and analyze site operations.

We also use web beacons to help deliver cookies and compile analytics. These may include web beacons from third-party service providers.

You have a variety of tools to control cookies and similar technologies, including:

Controls from some analytics service providers to opt out of data collection through web beacons.

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Most Microsoft websites use "cookies," which are small text files stored on your device, to help operate the sites and collect information about online activity. The text in a cookie often consists of a string of numbers and letters that uniquely identifies your computer, but it may contain other information as well. Here is an example of a unique ID number stored in a cookie that we might place on your device when you visit one of our websites: E3732CA7E319442F97EA48A170C99801. Our websites may also contain web beacons or other similar technologies. Microsoft uses cookies and similar technologies for a variety of purposes, described in more detail below.

How to Control Cookies and Similar Technologies

Microsoft provides browser controls to help you manage cookies. You can also accept cookies but opt out of their use to behaviorally target advertisements. For instance, Microsoft’s advertising preference and opt-out controls are available at http://choice.live.com/advertisementchoice/.

Browser Controls to Block Cookies.

Most web browsers automatically accept cookies but allow you to modify your browser setting to block cookies. For example, in Internet Explorer 11, you can block cookies by taking the following steps:

Click "Tools" and then select "Internet Options"

Click the "Privacy" tab at the top of the window

Move the slider up or down to indicate the rules you want to apply for blocking cookies

Instructions for blocking cookies in other browsers are available at each browser’s privacy statement.

Please be aware that if you choose to block cookies, you may not be able to sign in or use other interactive features of Microsoft sites and services that depend on cookies, and any advertising preferences that are dependent on cookies may be lost.

Browser Controls to Delete Cookies.

If you accept cookies, you can delete them later. For example, in Internet Explorer 11, you can delete cookies by taking the following steps:

Click "Tools" and then select "Internet Options"

On the "General" tab, under "Browsing History," click the "Delete" button

On the pop-up, select the box next to “Cookies”

Click the "Delete" button

Instructions for deleting cookies in other browsers are available at each browser’s privacy statement.

Please be aware that if you choose to delete cookies, any settings and preferences controlled by those cookies, including advertising preferences, will be deleted and will need to be recreated.

Browser Controls for “Do Not Track” and Tracking Protection.

Some newer browsers have incorporated “Do Not Track” features. Most of these features, when turned on, send a signal or preference to the websites you visit indicating that you do not wish to be tracked. Those sites (or the third-party content on those sites) may continue to engage in activities you might view as tracking even though you have expressed this preference, depending on the sites’ privacy practices. Because there is not yet a common understanding of how to interpret the DNT signal, Microsoft does not currently respond to the browser DNT signals on its own websites or online services, or on third-party websites or online services where Microsoft provides advertisements, content or is otherwise able to collect information. We continue to work with the online industry to define a common understanding of how to treat DNT signals. In the meantime, users may continue to opt out of targeted ads from Microsoft as set forth below.

Internet Explorer (versions 9 and up) have a feature called Tracking Protection that helps prevent the websites you go to from automatically sending details about your visit to third-party content providers. When you add a Tracking Protection List, Internet Explorer will block third-party content, including cookies, from any site that is listed as a site to be blocked. By limiting calls to these sites, Internet Explorer will limit the information these third-party sites can collect about you. For more information about Tracking Protection Lists and Do Not Track, please see the Internet Explorer Privacy Statement or Internet Explorer Help.

Advertising Opt-Out Controls.

Because cookies can be used for many purposes, users who do not want to receive behaviorally targeted advertising can choose to accept cookies but opt out from that particular use. Companies in the online advertising industry have developed guidelines and programs to help protect users’ privacy, and these industry programs include web pages you can visit to opt out from receiving behaviorally targeted advertisements from all participating companies (including Microsoft). These pages include:

Individual advertising companies may also offer their own opt-out capabilities plus more advanced advertising choices. For instance, Microsoft’s advertising preference and opt-out controls are available at http://choice.live.com/advertisementchoice/. Please note that opting out does not mean that you will stop getting ads or see fewer ads; however, if you do opt out, the ads that you receive will no longer be behaviorally targeted. In addition, opting out does not stop information from going to our servers, but it does stop our creation or updating of profiles that might be used for behavioral advertising.

Third-Party Analytics Controls.

As described in more detail below, many websites and online services from Microsoft and other companies use third-party analytic services, which use cookies and web beacons to compile aggregated statistics regarding the effectiveness of promotional campaigns or other website operations. You can opt out of data collection or use by some of these analytics providers by clicking the following links:

Storing your Preferences and Settings. If you enter your city or postal code to get local news or weather information on a Microsoft site, we may store that city or postal code in a cookie so that you will see the relevant local information when you return to the site. This can save you time by eliminating the need to repeatedly enter the same information every time you visit the site.

Sign-in and Authentication. When you sign in to a site or service using your Microsoft account, we store a unique ID number, and the time you signed in, in an encrypted cookie on your device. This cookie allows you to move from page to page at the site without having to sign in again on each page.

Targeted Advertising. When we display online advertisements to you, we will place one or more cookies on your device in order to recognize it each time we display an ad to you. Because we serve advertisements on the websites of our advertising and publisher partners, as well as our own, we are able to compile information over time about the types of pages, content and ads you, or others who are using your computer, visited or viewed. This information helps us select the ads we show you. For example, it helps us try to ensure that you do not see the same advertisements repeatedly. It also helps us select and display targeted advertisements that we believe may be of interest to you. You can find more information about this use of cookies, including how to opt out of receiving targeted advertising from Microsoft, in the Microsoft Advertising Privacy Statement.

Site Analytics. We may use cookies to count the number of unique visitors to a web page or service or to develop other aggregate statistics about the operations of our sites and services. These analytics help us operate and improve the performance of these sites and services.

Some of the cookies we commonly use are listed in the following chart. This list is not exhaustive, but it is intended to illustrate the main reasons we typically set cookies. If you visit one of our websites, the site may set some or all of the following cookies:

Cookie name

Description

MUID

Identifies unique browsers visiting Microsoft sites. It is used for advertising, site analytics and other operational purposes.

ANON

Contains the ANID, a unique identifier used to help identify which ads a customer may like. It is also used to preserve your choice to opt out of behaviorally targeted ads from Microsoft, if you have chosen to associate the opt-out with your Microsoft account.

CC

Contains a country code as determined by reverse IP address lookup.

Microsoft account authentication

Authentication cookies (e.g., RPSTAuth, MSNRPSAuth, KievRPSAuth) used when you sign in with your Microsoft account.

NAP

Contains an encrypted version of your country, postal code, age, gender, language and occupation, if known, based on your Microsoft account profile.

MH

Appears on co-branded sites where Microsoft is partnering with an advertiser. This cookie identifies the advertiser so the right ad is selected.

ACH01

Maintains information about which ads you clicked on and where you clicked on the ad.

In addition to the cookies Microsoft may set when you visit our websites, third parties may also set cookies when you visit Microsoft sites. In some cases, that is because we have hired the third party to provide services on our behalf, such as site analytics. In other cases, it is because our web pages contain content or ads from third parties, such as videos, news content or ads delivered by other ad networks. Because your browser connects to those third parties’ web servers to retrieve that content, those third parties are able to set or read their own cookies on your device and may collect information about your online activities across websites or online services.

Microsoft does not deploy cookies on the Xbox console. The browser on Xbox does allow cookies to be set, and you can manage those cookies through browser settings. Third party applications accessed through the console may set cookies. Consult the application’s privacy statement for more information.

Our Use of Web Beacons

Microsoft web pages may contain electronic images known as web beacons - sometimes called single-pixel gifs - that may be used to help deliver cookies on our sites, count users who have visited those pages and deliver co-branded services. Sometimes we include web beacons in our promotional email messages or newsletters to determine whether messages have been opened and acted upon.

We sometimes work with other companies that advertise on Microsoft sites to place web beacons on their sites or in their advertisements to let us develop statistics on how often clicking on an advertisement on a Microsoft site results in a purchase or other action on the advertiser's site.

Finally, Microsoft sites may contain web beacons from third parties to help us compile aggregated statistics regarding the effectiveness of our promotional campaigns or other web site operations. These web beacons may allow the third parties to set or read a cookie on your computer. These companies may collect information about your online activities across websites or online servers, however, we prohibit third parties from using web beacons on our sites to collect or access information that directly identifies you (such as your name or email address). You may be able to opt out from data collection or use by these third-party analytics companies as described under “Third-Party Analytics Controls” above.

Other Similar Technologies

In addition to standard cookies and web beacons, websites can use other technologies to store and read data files on your computer. This may be done to maintain your preferences or to improve speed and performance by storing certain files locally. But, like standard cookies, these technologies can also be used to store a unique identifier for your computer, which can then be used to track online activity. These technologies include Local Shared Objects (or "Flash cookies"), HTML5 Local Storage and Silverlight Application Storage.

Silverlight Application Storage. Websites or applications that use Microsoft Silverlight technology can store data on your device using Silverlight Application Storage. To learn how to manage or block such storage, visit the Silverlight Privacy Statement.

Payment Data

Summary

Payment Data is the information that you provide when you make online purchases. This may include your payment instrument number (e.g., credit card, PayPal), your name and billing address, and the security code associated with your payment instrument (e.g., the CSV or CVV). This section provides additional information regarding the collection and use of your payment information.

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Payment Data is the information that you provide when you make online purchases. This may include your payment instrument number (e.g., credit card, PayPal), your name and billing address, and the security code associated with your payment instrument (e.g., the CSV or CVV). This section provides additional information regarding the collection and use of your payment information.

Payment Data is used to complete your transaction, as well as for the detection and prevention of fraud. In support of these uses, Microsoft may share your Payment Data with banks and other entities that process payment transactions or other financial services, and for fraud prevention and credit risk reduction.

When you provide Payment Data while logged in with your Microsoft or organizational account we will store some of that data to help you complete future transactions.

You may update or remove the payment instrument information associated with your Microsoft account by logging in at https://commerce.microsoft.com. You may remove the payment instrument information associated with your organizational account by contacting Customer Support. After you close your account or remove a payment instrument, however, Microsoft may retain your payment instrument data for as long as reasonably necessary to complete your existing transaction, to comply with Microsoft’s legal and reporting requirements, and for the detection and prevention of fraud.

Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited is our data protection representative for the European Economic Area and Switzerland. The data protection officer of Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited can be reached at the following address:

Below you will find additional privacy information you may find important. Much of this describes practices that are common across the industry, but we want make sure you are aware of them. Please keep in mind that this information is not a complete description of our practices - this is all in addition to the other, more specific information contained elsewhere in this privacy statement.

Microsoft is committed to protecting the security of your personal information. We use a variety of security technologies and procedures to help protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use or disclosure. For example, we store the personal information you provide on computer systems that have limited access and are in controlled facilities. When we transmit highly confidential information (such as a credit card number or password) over the Internet, we protect it through the use of encryption, such as the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol.

If a password is used to help protect your accounts and personal information, it is your responsibility to keep your password confidential. Do not share it. If you are sharing a computer, you should always log out before leaving a site or service to protect access to your information from subsequent users.

Where Information is Stored and Processed

Personal information collected on Microsoft sites and services may be stored and processed in the United States or any other country where Microsoft or its affiliates, subsidiaries or service providers maintain facilities. Microsoft abides by the U.S.-EU Safe Harbor Framework and the U.S.-Swiss Safe Harbor Framework as set forth by the U.S. Department of Commerce regarding the collection, use and retention of data from the European Economic Area and Switzerland. To learn more about the Safe Harbor program, and to view our certification, please visit http://www.export.gov/safeharbor/.

Microsoft may retain your personal information for a variety of reasons, such as to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, enforce our agreements, and as long as necessary to provide services. To learn how to access your personal information, visit Accessing Your Information.

Changes to Our Privacy Statements

We will occasionally update our privacy statements to reflect customer feedback and changes in our services. When we post changes to a statement, we will revise the "last updated" date at the top of the statement. If there are material changes to the statement or in how Microsoft will use your personal information, we will notify you either by prominently posting a notice of such changes before they take effect or by directly sending you a notification. We encourage you to periodically review the privacy statements for the products and services you use to learn how Microsoft is protecting your information.